Many types of well related operations rely on traction in a wellbore to secure a device at a desired position during the well related operation. One method of establishing traction is through static friction. Mating materials are selected which tend to have large coefficients of friction when mated together. An example of a device that employs static friction to support a large force is a slat-reinforced inflatable packer. A slat-reinforced inflatable packer is constructed with an inner, inflatable element covered by metal reinforcing slats. When the inner element is inflated, the metal slats are pressed against an inside surface of a pipe in which the packer is installed. Friction between the slats and the pipe provides the traction required to secure the packer.
In other well applications, packers are employed with well completions and include slips that are pressed into a casing wall with wedges. The slips have sharp ridges specifically designed to be embedded into the surface of the well casing to better establish traction. In other designs, the slips incorporate very hard materials that press sharp features into the well casing to establish traction. However, use of such devices tends to weaken the well casing by creating high stress concentrations where the well casing is deformed with the sharp features of the packer slips. The sharp features and high stress concentrations also tend to create regions that rapidly initiate corrosion.